Page 4 of Awestruck (Starstruck Love Stories #4)

“Your daughter is sitting directly across from you,” Freya hisses, losing some of her control as her irritation comes to the forefront.

“She can speak for herself.” She turns to me, her expression hard.

“I need a protection agent, not a politician. As you are certainly not the latter, I will kindly request that you focus on the former while the position is yours. You will wait out in the corridor, Mr. Reid.”

I look to Queen Ingrid, wondering if my orders still come from her or if my responsibility has officially shifted to the princess. Ingrid nods subtly, and I can practically feel the shift in tension in the room when Freya sees the nod as well.

I wanted excitement—I definitely have it now.

“Outside,” Freya commands, her expression growing harder.

Nodding my acknowledgement, I return the tablet to the Council member and slip out to the hallway to take up my post at the door.

Rather than continuing in English, Freya begins speaking in rapid Candoran before the door closes, and while I only pick up pieces, it’s clear she isn’t happy about any of the day’s topics.

“Derek,” I mutter, grabbing my phone and dialing his number. “What have you gotten me into?”

The line connects after two rings, and Derek speaks without greeting. “You are aware that it’s four thirty in the morning here, right?”

“I distinctly remember you telling me this job would be easy,” I reply, just as bluntly.

He laughs lightly. “I never said that. I said this job would be the perfect thing to help you unwind and settle into something new.”

“I cannot stress how tightly wound I am right now. She hates me, and some pretty-boy politician thinks he can be king.”

“Which part of that do you think you can’t handle?”

That question stuns me into silence. I can’t really say that I know Derek well—his dad and mine never interacted—but ever since we first connected about a year ago, he has constantly surprised me.

Whenever we talk, he seems to understand more about me than I’ve ever understood about anyone. Now is no exception.

“I didn’t say I couldn’t handle it,” I mutter.

“So what’s the problem?”

“The problem is your princess friend is more likely to give up her claim on the throne than she is to keep me on, and I’ll be unemployed.”

Derek laughs again. “I think you’re overestimating Freya’s willingness to hire yet another bodyguard.”

“Comforting.” I sweep my eyes over both ends of the hallway to make sure this part of the palace is empty, though it’s unnecessary.

The palace has exceptional security measures, to the point where I don’t know why Freya needs a bodyguard in the first place since she rarely ventures outside the walls.

Gregor, the man who trained me, said she has become increasingly more noticed around the world since becoming friends with Derek, and most of my protection duties will come into play during her frequent visits to California.

But what about the rest of the time?

I need to stay busy. If I don’t, my thoughts inevitably stray to the past and the mistakes that still haunt me when I’m not on my guard.

“I have a meeting with a producer in a few hours,” Derek says, pulling my attention back to my phone. “So I’m going back to bed. Give things with Freya some time to settle, and you’ll work things out between the two of you.”

“Are you always this confident?” My question is genuine, though my grumbled tone suggests otherwise.

I’ve seen some of his movies and watched interviews, and he is always unfailingly sure of himself.

Even on those rare occasions we’ve hung out, I’ve never seen him anything but confident, and it’s eerie.

Having come from a position where hesitation could lead to deadly consequences, I get it, but Derek’s not a soldier.

He doesn’t need the level of control he has over his life.

Chuckling, he takes longer to answer that question than I expect. “When it comes to my friends? Usually.”

Which means he does have moments of doubt. It’s nice to know he’s human.

“You’re always welcome to reach out, Elliot.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” It’s not that I don’t believe him, but I’m not one who seeks out conversation.

Today was uncharacteristic, and only because I hoped Derek would have some insider knowledge of the princess.

‘You’ll work things out’ isn’t all that helpful, and the stuff I really need help with—the stuff that led to me being here—isn’t the kind of stuff a guy like him can fix.

That’s all on me.

“You good?” Derek asks, his words hesitant.

“Yeah. Sorry to bother you.”

“I’m not bothered.”

I don’t believe that for a second, but I say my goodbyes and hang up without responding to that comment.

I can handle this. My shoulder twinges, enough that I have to roll out the discomfort left from an old injury. It doesn’t get too bad when I have the chance to work it out, like sparring with Hex and Sander, but I won’t get as much opportunity to do that as I have the last month.

Now that I’m the princess’s official protection agent, my focus has to be her. Assuming she allows it.

After ten minutes of me waiting in the empty hallway, Freya storms through the doors and passes me without a word. I glance into the room, making eye contact with the queen, and she gives me a look that seems to be wishing me luck.

Guess my job has officially started.

Though I stay hot on her heels, Freya doesn’t acknowledge me until we’ve rounded the corner, but even then she speaks back to me without turning her head. “I will make this as clear as I am able, Mr. Reid. Your job is to protect me. Not to criticize or judge or offer your opinion. Am I understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You will address me as ‘Your Highness’ and nothing else.”

I hold back a snicker. I have it on good authority—AKA her brothers—that she hates being called by her title, so this order is strictly to put me in my place. “Got it.”

“You will be privy to the most vulnerable parts of my life,” Freya continues, “but that does not make you my friend.”

“I’m not looking for a friend, anyway.”

She stops, whirling around to gaze up at me. As before, I hold my gaze just over her head, partially because it seems to annoy her but mostly to keep an eye on our surroundings. “Why are you here, Mr. Reid?”

For reasons she doesn’t need to know. “To ensure your safety, Your Highness.”

She huffs. “You cannot evade me forever. If you wish to keep this position, I need to know I can trust you.”

“What about my response felt untrue?”

“Your sass will not help you stay,” she warns.

I can’t help but meet her eyes, which blaze with irritation and what looks an awful lot like curiosity.

She thinks I’m sassy? My old ODA would get a kick out of that one.

I was always the serious one in my Special Forces detachment.

The man with the plan. The guy so focused on the mission ahead that I never deviated.

The one time I did, it ended in disaster.

As a weight settles on my shoulders, I force a smirk and tell myself I can’t get lost in memories. It won’t do me or the princess any good. “No sass,” I say, as if repeating an order. “Anything else I should know?”

Freya lifts her nose high. “I do not need you always a step behind me. Especially not here in my home.” She makes a little shooing motion with her hands.

I hold my ground. “With all due respect, Your Highness, there are enough people with access to the palace that I will have to disagree.”

“All of them have been vetted and have the proper clearance,” she argues with a frown.

“Markham Grimstad has access to the lower court, along with the rest of the House of Commons.”

“The lower court, yes, but not the upper levels.” Freya folds her arms as she continues to study me. “Do you expect me to be the first casualty of the Candoran royal family?”

She makes a good point. In the history of modern Candora, the royal family has never been in any true danger, though Gregor would argue that is because of security heads like him. Still… I fold my arms to match her. “I expect trouble as the election gets closer, and so should you.”

“My safety is the least of my concerns at the moment.”

Is she serious? “It should be at the top.”

“I see you have already forgotten my first order.”

I roll my eyes, making her scoff. “To protect you? That’s all I’m doing, Princess.”

“I was referring to your opinion, Mr. Reid.”

“You asked for my opinion,” I counter.

“I…” Her eyes narrow, and she points a finger at my chin. “Keep your distance. Know your place. Be silent.” She continues down the hall but stops when I follow close behind, her exasperation clear in her voice as she turns to me again. “Mr. Reid, please.”

That’s not a word I expected from her, especially when I’ve ruffled her feathers.

But if she thinks I’ll back off and pretend my protection is nothing but a formality, she’s in for disappointment.

“My only job is to keep you safe, Princess. I’m going to do that to the best of my ability, and you may not like my methods.

That’s fine, but it won’t change my plans.

If I think there’s a threat, I expect you to do what I tell you. ”

“I am to take orders from you, am I?” Her frustration settles deeper, leaving her seething.

But I also sense a bit of appreciation in her eyes, though I’m going to guess she doesn’t want me to know she respects that I won’t be pushed around.

She seems like the kind of person who needs to be in control and will not relinquish it easily.

I’ve dealt with enough soldiers who didn’t like to follow orders, and they all eventually fall in line. A princess shouldn’t be any different.

“Only when necessary,” I tell her, offering a smile. “Your Highness.”

She huffs and spins on her heel, marching down the hallway.

I’m right behind her, my mind running over ways I can convince her to trust me.

Derek’s right, and Freya and I need time to settle into things.

But what he doesn’t know is that we don’t have time, not with the election looming closer and an unexpected opponent on the rise.

If Freya is going to trust me to keep her safe, she’s going to have to lower her walls and let me in.

Maybe, if I push her hard enough, she’ll do that sooner than later.